


Finding a Partner

by Rivulet027



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Drift Compatibility, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Past Mick Rory/Leonard Snart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 01:25:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15159365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/pseuds/Rivulet027
Summary: Admitting you're drift compatible can be difficult after you've already both lost a partner.





	Finding a Partner

**Author's Note:**

  * For [justanotherray](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherray/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with DC or Pacific Rim. Neither is my toy box and I'm merely playing.
> 
> A/N: Ray talks about losing Anna and Len, but this is one year in the past and he never goes into details.

Ray sees the determined look on Sara’s face and knows he’s not going to like what she’s come to say. He closes his notebook, then the book he was using, and starts to stand, determined to refuse before she can convince him, but then she seems to switch tactics and tells him simply, “It’s Rory.”

Ray sits down heavily and looks away, barely managing to tell her, “I try not to think about him.”

Which is the truth, sort of, he does try, but it’s difficult not to.

“He used to be one of your best friends,” Sara points out gently.

Ray opens his mouth to tell her that Len and Anna were friends, but the lie won’t come and he stares at her dumbfounded for a moment instead.

“You were both inseparable after you lost your partners,” Sara continues.

“Yeah well,” Ray stalls with a self-deprecating sigh as he scrubs his hands over his tired face. “I fucked that up.”

“Well un-fuck it,” Sara glares.

He blinks trying to decide if he’s taking her seriously or if he’ll take the chance and laugh at her words.

“Ray, you didn’t,” she sounds disappointed.

Ray hopes his glare indicates that she’s not one to talk about have sex with the wrong person at the wrong time. Of course he doubts that Sara ever panicked after. Ray also doubts Sara’s realized she was drift compatible with someone in the middle of sex while they’re both grieving the partners they felt themselves lose either. He and Mick had both panicked after. It’s been a year of no contact and Ray doubts Mick wants to hear from him now. He tries to give her an optimistic smile. “What makes you think I can help?”

“He needs to find a new partner and he doesn’t want to,” Sara starts.

Ray shakes his head. Is she going to ask him? She can’t ask him. He has a sinking feeling he’s going to be getting back in a Jaeger.

“Part of the deal with Iron Heights is that he fights. He has to be in a Jaeger. It’s been a year since he lost Len, they feel they’ve given him enough time to find a new partner,” she continues to explain.

“And if he doesn’t want a new partner?” Ray broaches.

“Then he goes back to Iron Heights,” Sara answers, then elaborates. “They’ve been sending inmates to help build the wall.”

Ray presses his lips together and swallows his protests. He sighs, “What do you want me to do?”

“At least get him to talk to the candidates on the list we’ve put together? He’s doing a great job helping train incoming recruits, but that’s not the deal and Iron Heights is done waiting.”

Ray gives in. Sara knew he was going to give in with the right words. He can’t even find it in himself to be annoyed with her as they travel and he takes time to look over the files that have been put together for Mick. He can already see Mick’s objections to each candidate, but he keeps that to himself. He does point out that Mick probably isn’t even going to look at the files.

Mick looks better than the last time Ray saw him, healthier. The grief they were both shrouding themselves with doesn’t lay heavy around him. His eyes are bright and there’s a twist of a smile on his lips. It makes Ray ache. How much has he missed? He’s hit with a slight swell of panic. What if this doesn’t work? None of the people they’re trying to pair Mick with will work, at least Ray can’t see how they would. They can’t send him back to Iron Heights, they can’t.

Mick raises his eyebrows at Sara and nods. Ray misses how she responds because then Mick is looking him up and down, before he says, “Haircut.”

“Mick,” Ray greets back.

They don’t say anything more, just stare at each other. Sara glances back and forth between them, then shakes her head. “Really?”

“You didn’t ask,” Mick glares.

“It could’ve saved me some time,” she accuses.

“Wasn’t your idea,” Mick grumbles as he points at the folders.

Sara sighs before she drops them down onto Mick’s desk with a thunk. Mick frowns at him for one more brief moment and Ray isn’t sure what to say. Mick is the first to step away, but only as far as his desk. He drops into his chair and leans it back as he looks at Sara. “What’s the plan boss?”

“Not the boss,” Sara grumbles.

Mick makes a considering noise.

“Ray says you’re going to have objections to everyone,” Sara tells him

Mick crosses his arms and raises his eyebrows. Ray huffs in amusement and cross over to Mick’s desk. He slides his hands into the back pocket of his pants to keep from touching anything on it, after a year Ray’s not sure Mick would appreciate him being so familiar with his things. Mick pokes the files.

“Jax,” Sara starts.

“The kid?” Mick asks incredulously. “He partnered with Kid West and Piper after the Professor retired.”

Mick tilts his head towards Ray as if for confirmation. Sara rubs at the bridge of her nose. Ray shrugs, “He works with Wally West and Hartley Rathaway. They’re a good team.”

The three of them are also extremely close. Ray isn’t sure breaking up a team that close won’t hurt the new pairing and the existing triad. He’s about to raise more objections, but Mick just ask Sara to continue.

“You’re not going to like anyone I offer you,” Sara calls.

Mick makes a considering noise as he drops Jax’s file at her feet. He opens the next one and tosses that at her feet as well. He opens the next one and snorts. It lands at Sara’s feet.

“Pretty, really?”

“Heywood doesn’t have a partner? He’s green, but knowledgeable and enthusiastic,” Sara tries, even though she doesn’t sound convinced.

“You really think he could handle the crap that’s in my head?” Mick challenges.

“Who are you willing to risk with that?” Sara asks.

Mick glances at him, then back at the files. Ray sighs, then confesses, “I don’t have a file.”

“Then why are you here?” Mick challenges.

“Sara thought you could use emotional support,” Ray stalls momentarily.

Mick frowns at him.

Ray sighs. He can’t fight the inevitable and he’s been wanting since Sara opened the first file. “We both know why. It’s got to be me, but I don’t think anyone, but you and I knew that.”

Mick sets the file he’s been about to open down and stares up at him. Their eyes meet and Ray can already feel that spark of connection. It sends a longing through him.

“I’m in if you’re in,” Ray tells him.

Mick drops the files he’s holding back on his desk their eyes not leaving each other. Mick shifts the chair to that he can take Ray in fully and Ray tries not to squirm at the intensity of his gaze. 

“Give us a week,” Mick bargains. 

“A week?” Sara questions.

“It’s been a year,” Mick tells her. “Maybe we aren’t compatible anymore.”

“A weeks going to fix that?” Sara sound skeptical.

Their gaze haven’t left each other. They’re still compatible. Ray can feel it in the way he knows Mick’s mouth is about to turn up into a wicked filthy smile a moment before it does. They should take time to relearn each other.

“You’re going to fuck for a week?” Sara teases.

“Longer,” Mick grumbles.

Ray wets his lips as he realizes that this is about more than being drift compatible, agreeing to be Mick’s partner isn’t just about fighting giant aliens. Agreeing to this is moving past their shared grief. Agreeing to this is partners in every sense of the word. Instead of the panic he felt a year ago Ray feels ready, feels the idea of being Mick’s partner settle around him. His voice is steady as he tells Sara, “It’s how we figured it out last time.”

“I’ll stall,” Sara agrees. “Give you a week.”

Mick walks her to the door of his office and locks it behind her. He turns to regard Ray slowly. “You’re in?”

“I’m in,” Ray confirms.

Mick closes the distance between them swiftly, brackets his hands around Ray on the desk and leans in till they’re nearly nose to nose. Ray lets himself lean against the desk. Mick tilts his head closing the distance between them. Their lips brush as Mick agrees, “If it’s you, I’m in.”


End file.
